Three Small Changes in Your Lifestyle That Can Make a Big Impact on Your Panic Attacks

Panic provokes panic.

In the middle of a panic attack if you start getting worried on how to stop it, it’ll only aggravate!

Just continue doing whatever you’re doing. Allowing the attack to play in the background for those few minutes (6 or 60) is the best solution.

Having said that, where you need to act is before and after! Make these three small changes in your lifestyle for big gains.

Eat

There’s nothing more important than eating well balanced healthful meals. Additionally, as far as possible avoid caffeine. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant which works to make you more alert and inhibits GABA, a relaxing chemical in your brain. When you’re prone to panic attacks, you would want to avoid anything that will come in the way of your body staying relaxed.

Play

You wish there were an alternative to exercise! But alas, there isn’t. Regular exercise helps release endorphins and reduce the stress hormone cortisol. But yeah we know exercising three times a week for 45 minutes can be difficult for some of us.

Here’s an easier solution. Stretch like a cat in the bed the moment you open your eyes. Like really stretch! Then jump out of bed and rotate your neck, roll your shoulders, disco your tummy and kick a few times with your legs. We’re sure on most days that’ll motivate you to exercise. Go right ahead.

Breathe

Most of us are shallow breathers! Follow this deep belly breathing technique as a natural way of preventing panic attacks.

Keep one hand on your stomach.

Breathe in deep and make sure your stomach expands with your in breath.

Breathe out and let your stomach contract.

Do 10 repetitions every two hours and soon you’ll realize this becomes your natural way of breathing.

Belly breathing will stimulate the part of the nervous system responsible for relaxation. When you do this regularly, it’ll lower your baseline of arousal which’ll make it harder for your body to panic.

+ Work with an expert to get to the root cause of your panic attacks. The long-term solution lies there. Watch this interview with our Psychiatrist and Director Dr. Ashwani Kumar to understand more.